Decorative laminates have been used as surfacing materials for many years, in both commercial and residential applications, where pleasing aesthetic effects in conjunction with desired functional behavior (such as superior wear, heat and stain resistance, cleanability and cost) are preferred. Typical applications have historically included furniture, kitchen countertops, table tops, store fixtures, bathroom vanity tops, cabinets, wall paneling, office partitions, and the like.
Over the last several years, society has seen the proliferation of portable, rechargeable electronic devices in office and home environments. Mobile electronic devices such as cellular phones, laptop computer, tablets, and the like are commonplace in homes and offices. Such portable devices generally employ rechargeable batteries as their power source to maintain mobility. In homes and offices with multiple residents, the total number of rechargeable devices often out-numbers people. Typically, each battery powered device requires its own charger and power source, which is usually an alternating current (AC) power outlet. An unintended consequence of the proliferation of electronic devices is the proliferation of power converters, power sources, plugs and cables which clutter the office and home environments. Moreover, the practical implication of device-specific chargers is the inevitable situation of misplaced or forgotten chargers.
Approaches are being developed that use over-the-air or wireless power transmission between a transmitter and a receiver coupled to the electronic device to be charged. Such approaches generally fall into two categories. One is based on the coupling of plane wave radiation (also called far-field radiation) between a transmit antenna and a receive antenna on the device to be charged. Other approaches to wireless energy transmission are based on inductive coupling between a transmit antenna embedded, for example, in a “charging mat” or portable surface and a receive antenna (and a rectifying circuit) embedded in the host electronic device to be charged. Various mobile telephones are marketed with such wireless power receiving capability. Though this approach can have the capability to simultaneously charge multiple devices in the same area, this area, such as a charging pad or mat which itself is plugged into an AC wall outlet, is typically small and requires the user to accurately locate the devices in a specific area.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide surfacing that is expansive, functional, and capable of serving as a platform for providing wireless energy transfer via inductive coupling to numerous devices.